Step One

"We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become
unmanageable."
A "first" of anything is a beginning, and so it is with the steps. The first step is the
beginning of the recovery process. Healing begins here; we cannot move forward until
we have worked this step. Some members of N. A. "others choose to work step one in a
more systematic way. Our reasons for formally working the first step will vary from
member to member. It may be that we are new to recovery, and that we have just fought
and lost an exhaustive battle with drugs. It may be that we have been hanging around for
a while, abstinent from drugs, but have discovered that our disease has become active in
some other area of our lives, forcing us to face our lack of power and governance of our
lives once again. Not all acts of growth are motivated by pain; it may be just the time to
cycle through the steps again thus beginning the next level of our never-ending journey of
recovery. Some of us find a degree of reassurance in realizing that an illness, not a moral
failure, has caused us to reach this bottom. Others don't really care what the cause was -
they just want to get out! Whatever the case, it is time to do some work on the step:
engage in some concrete activity that will help us find more freedom from our addiction,
whatever form it currently takes. Our hope is to internalize the principles of step one, to
deepen our surrender, to make the principles of acceptance, humility, willingness,
honesty, and open-mindedness a fundamental part of who we are. First we must reach a
point of surrender. There are many different ways to do this. For some of us, the road we
went through to get to the first step was more than enough to convince us that
unconditional surrender was our only option. Others begin this process, although they are
not entirely convinced that we are addicted or that we have really reached the bottom.
Only by working the first step do we truly come to realize that we are addicted, that we
have hit rock bottom, and that we must give up. Before we start working on the first step,
we must become abstinent at all costs. If we are new to Narcotics Anonymous and our
first step is primarily about looking at the effects of drug addiction in our lives, we need
to get clean. If we have been clean for a while and our first step is about our lack of
power over some other behavior that has made our lives unmanageable, we need to find a
way to stop such behavior so that our surrender is not clouded by continued
performances.
The disease of addiction
What makes us addicts is the disease of addiction, not the drugs, not our behavior, but our
disease. There is something inside us that makes us unable to control our drug use. This
same "something "also inclines us to obsession and compulsion in other areas of our
lives. How can we know when our disease is active? When we become hooked into
obsessive, compulsive, self-centered, endless curls that lead nowhere except to physical,
mental, spiritual and emotional decay. What does "the disease of addiction" mean to me?
Has my disease been active recently? In what way?
•
What is it like when I am obsessed with something? Does my thinking follow a mold?
Describe
•
When a thought comes to me, do I immediately act on it without considering the consequences? In what
other ways do I behave compulsively?
•
How does the self-centered part of my illness affect my life and the lives of those around me? How has
my illness affected me physically? Mentally? Spiritually? Emotionally?

Our addiction can manifest itself in a variety of ways. When we first come to Narcotics Anonymous, our
problem, of course, will be drugs. Later, we may discover that our addiction is wreaking havoc on our
lives in any number of ways. What is the specific way in which my addiction has been manifesting itself
most recently?
•
Have I been obsessed with a person, place, or thing? If so, how has that influenced the way I relate to
others? How else have I been affected mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally by this
obsession?
Denial
Denial is the part of our disease that tells us we don't have a disease. When we are in denial, we are
unable to see the reality of our illness. We minimize its effects. We blame others, citing the overly high
expectations of family, friends and employers. We compare ourselves to other addicts whose addictions
seem "worse" than ours. We can blame a particular drug. If we have been abstinent from drugs for some
time, we can compare the normal manifestation of our addiction to our drug use, rationalizing that
nothing we do today could be as bad as it was! One of the easiest ways to realize that we are in denial is
when we find ourselves giving plausible but false reasons for our behavior.
•
Have I given plausible but false reasons for my behavior? Which have they been?
•
Have I impulsively acted out an obsession, and then acted as if I had actually planned to act that way?
How have I blamed other people for my behavior?
•
How have I compared my addiction to the addictions of others? Is my addiction "bad enough" if I don't
compare it to anyone else's?
•
Am I comparing a normal manifestation of my addiction to the way my life was before I got clean?
•
Have I been thinking that I have enough information about addiction and recovery to get my behavior
under control before it gets out of hand?
•
Am I avoiding action because I am afraid of embarrassment when I face the results of my addiction? Am
I avoiding action because I'm worried about what others will think?
Hitting the bottom: despair and isolation
Finally, our addiction brings us to a place where we can no longer deny the nature of our problem All
the lies, all the rationalizations, all the illusions fall away when we must face what our life has become.
We realize that we have been living without hope. We find that we have become friendless or so
completely disconnected that our relationships are a simulation, a parody of love and intimacy. Although
it may seem, when we find ourselves in this state, that all is lost, the truth is that we must get through
this place before we can embark on our journey of recovery. What crisis led me to recovery?
•
What situation led me to formally work step one?
•
When did I first recognize my addiction as a problem? Did I try to correct it? If so, how? If not, why
not?
No power
As addicts we react to the word "powerless" in a variety of ways. Some of us recognize that there simply
could not be a more accurate description of our situation, and admit our helplessness with a sense of
relief. Others reject the word, connecting it with weakness or believing it indicates some deficiency of
character. Understanding "powerlessness"-and how admitting our powerlessness is essential to our
recovery-will lead us to dismiss any negative feelings we have about the concept.
We are powerless when the driving force in our life is beyond our control. Our addiction could certainly
be described as an uncontrollable driving force. We cannot moderate or control our drug use or other
compulsive behaviors, even when they cause us to lose the things that matter most to us. We cannot
stop, even though continuing will surely result in irreparable physical damage. We find ourselves, doing
things we would never do if it weren't for our addiction; things that would make us shudder with shame
if we thought about them. We may even decide that we don't want to use, that we won't use, and realize
that we are simply unable to stop when the opportunity presents itself.We may have tried to abstain from
drug use or other compulsive behaviors - perhaps with some success for a period of time without a
program, only to find that our untreated addiction eventually takes us back to where we were before. In
order to work the first step, we need to prove to ourselves our individual "powerlessness" on a deeper
level: What, exactly, am I powerless about? I have done things while acting out my addiction that I
would never do in my recovery focus.What were they? What things did I do to support my addiction that
went completely against all my values and beliefs? How does my personality change when I am acting
out my addiction (i.e., do I become angry?)? Do I become arrogant? Focused on myself? Do I have a
temperament deficiency? Passive to the point that I can't protect myself? Manipulative? (Do I
manipulate other people to support my addiction? How did I try to get out of using and found out I
couldn't? Have I tried to escape using by myself and discovered that my life was so painful without
drugs that my abstinence didn't last long? What were those times like? How has my addiction caused me
to hurt others or myself?
Ungovernability
The first step asks us to admit two things: one, that we are powerless over our addiction; and two, that
our lives have become unmanageable. In reality, we would be hard pressed to admit one and not the
other. Our non-governance is the external evidence of our lack of power. There are two general types of
ungovernability: external ungovernability, of the kind that can be seen by others; and internal, or
personal ungovernability.External ungovernability is often identified by such things as arrests, job loss
and family problems.Some of our members have been incarcerated. Some have not been able to
maintain any kind of relationship for more than a few months. Some of us have been separated from our
families, and never asked to contact them again.Internal or personal ungovernability is often identified
by belief systems about ourselves that are not healthy or true, the world in which we live, and the people
in our lives.We may believe that we are worthless.We may believe that the world revolves around us-not
just that we are worthless.We may believe that the world revolves around us-not just that we are
worthless.We may believe that the world revolves around us-not just that we are worthless.We may
believe that we are worthless.We may believe that the world revolves around us-not just that we are
worthless.
should,
but rather
ago
we may believe that it is not really our business to take care of ourselves; someone else should do it. We
may believe that the responsibilities that the average person takes upon himself as a matter of course are
too great a burden for us to bear. We can over- or under-react to the events of our lives. Emotional
volatility is often one of the most obvious ways in which we can identify personal unmanageability.
What does unmanageability mean to me? As a result of my addiction, have I ever been arrested or been
in legal trouble? Have I ever done anything that I would have been arrested for if I had been caught?
What were those things? What problems have I had with my friends because of my addiction? Do I
insist on doing things my way? What effect has my insistence had on my relationships? Do I consider
the needs of others? What effect has my lack of consideration had on my relationships? Do I accept
responsibility for my life and my actions? Am I able to carry out my daily responsibilities without being
overwhelmed? How has this affected my life?
I fall apart as soon as things don't go according to plan? How has this affected my life?
•
Do I treat every challenge as a personal insult? How has this affected my life?
•
Do I maintain a crisis mentality, responding to every situation with panic? How has this affected my
life?
•
Do I ignore signs that something is seriously wrong with my health or my children, thinking that things
will somehow work out? Describe.
•
Being in real danger, have I been indifferent to that danger or somehow unable to protect myself as a
result of my addiction?
•
Have I ever harmed anyone as a result of my addiction?
•
Do I have temper tantrums or react to my feelings in other ways that diminish my sense of self-respect
or dignity? Describe.
•
Do I take drugs or act out my addiction to change or suppress my feelings? What was I trying to change
or suppress?
Reservations
Reservations are places in our program that we have
reserved
for relapses. They can be built around the idea that we can retain a small measure of control, something
like, "OK, I accept that I can't control my use, but I can still sell drugs, can't I?" Or we may think we can
still be friends with the people we used to use or buy drugs from. We may think that certain parts of the
program do not apply to us; we may think that there are certain things that we cannot face cleanly - a
serious illness, for example, or the illness of a loved one - and plan to use them if any of this happens.
We may think that after we have achieved some goal, saved a certain amount of money, or have stayed
clean for a certain number of years, then we will be able to control our consumption. Reservations are
usually hidden in the back of our mind, we are not fully aware of them. It is essential that we expose any
reservations we have and cancel them, right here, right now. Have I accepted the full extent of my
addiction?
•
Do I think I can still associate with people connected to my addiction? Can I still go to the places where
I used to use? Do I think it is wise to keep drugs or paraphernalia around, just to "remind me" or test my
recovery? If so, why?
•
Do I think there is something I can't get clean, some event that might happen that will be so painful that I
can't survive the wound?
•
Do I think that with a certain amount of clean time, or with different life circumstances, I will be able to
control my consumption? What reserves am I still holding on to?
Surrender
There is a huge difference between resignation and surrender. Resignation is what we feel when we have
realized that we are addicted but have not yet accepted recovery as the solution to our problem. Many of
us found ourselves at this point long before we came to N.A. We may have thought it was our destiny to
be addicts, to live and die in our addiction. Surrender, on the other hand, is what happens after we have
accepted the first step as something that is true for us and have accepted that recovery is the solution.
We do not want our lives to be what they were. We do not want to continue to feel the way we have
been feeling.
•
What, if anything, do I fear from the concept of surrender? What convinces me that I can no longer use
successfully, and do I accept that I will never gain control, even after a long period of abstinence?
•
Can I start my recovery without a full surrender?
•
What would my life be like if I surrendered completely? Can I continue my recovery without complete
surrender?
Spiritual principles
In the first step, we will focus on honesty, open-mindedness, willingness, humility, and acceptance.
Practicing the principle of honesty from Step One begins with admitting the truth about our addiction,
and continues with practicing honesty on a daily basis. When we say "I am an addict" in a meeting, it
may be the first truly honest thing we have said in a long time. We begin to be able to be honest with
ourselves and, consequently, with other people.If I have been thinking about using or acting out my
addiction in some other way, have I shared this with my sponsor or told anyone else?
•
Have I been in touch with the reality of my disease, no matter how long I have been free from active
addiction?
•
Have I noticed that, now that I don't have to cover up my addiction, I don't need to lie like I used to? Do
I appreciate the freedom this implies? Practicing the principle of open-mindedness found in Step One
means mostly being ready to believe that there must be another way of living and being willing to try it.
It does not matter that we cannot see every detail of how that mode might be, or that it might be totally
different from anything we have ever known; what matters is that we do not limit ourselves in our
thinking. Sometimes we can hear from N.A. members. saying things that sound totally crazy to us,
things like "surrender to win" or suggestions to pray for someone who has wronged us. We demonstrate
open-mindedness when we do not reject these things without having tried them.
•
What have I heard in recovery that I have trouble believing? Have I asked my sponsor or the person I
heard it from to explain it to me? In what ways am I practicing open-mindedness? The principle of
willingness contained in Step One can be practiced in a variety of ways.When we first started thinking
about recovery, many of us either didn't really believe it was possible for us or simply didn't understand
how it would work, but we went ahead with Step One anyway-and that's our first experience with
willingness.Taking any action that contributes to our recovery shows goodwill: going to meetings early
and staying late, helping to set up meetings, getting other N.A. members' phone numbers and calling
them.
•
Am I willing to follow my sponsor's directives?
•
Am I willing to attend meetings on a daily basis?
•
Am I willing to give recovery my best effort? The principle of humility, so central to the First Step, is
expressed most purely in our surrender. Humility is most easily identified as an acceptance of who we
really are - neither worse nor better than we thought we were when we were using, just human.
•
Do I think I am a monster who has poisoned the whole world with my addiction? Do I believe that my
addiction is totally without consequence to the wider society around me? Or something in between?
•
Do I have a sense of my relative importance within my circle of family and friends? In society as a
whole? What is this meaning?
•
How am I practicing the principle of humility in connection with this work in Step One? To practice the
principle of acceptance, we must do more than merely admit that we are addicts. When we accept our
addiction, we feel a profound inner change that is overtaken by a growing sense of hope. We also began
to feel peace. We begin to make friends with our addiction, with our recovery, and with the meaning that
these two realities will have in our lives. We do not fear a future of meeting attendance, sponsor contact,
and step work; instead, we begin to see recovery as a precious gift, and the work connected with it as no
more of a problem than other routines of life. Have I made friends with the fact that I'm an addict
Have I made friends with the things I will have to do to stay clean? How is acceptance of my illness
necessary for my continued recovery?
Moving forward
As we get ready to move on to Step Two, we will probably find ourselves wondering if we have worked
Step One well enough. Are we sure it's time to move on? Have we spent as much time as others must
have spent on this step? Have we truly gained an understanding of this step? Many of us have found it
helpful to write about our understanding of each step as we prepare to follow.
•
How do I know it's time to move on?
•
What is my understanding of Step One? How has my previous knowledge and experience affected my
work in this step? We have come to a place where we see the results of our old way of life and have
accepted that a new path is calling us, but we probably do not yet see how rich in possibilities is the life
of recovery. It may be enough for now to be free of active addition, but we will soon discover that the
gap we have been filling with drugs and other compulsive and obsessive behaviors cries out to be filled.
Working the rest of the steps will fill that gap. Next on our journey to recovery is Step Two.

Step Two
"We began to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to health."
Step One takes away our illusions about addiction; Step Two gives us hope about our
recovery. Step Two tells us that what we found in Step One about our addiction is not the
end of the story. The pain and lack of judgment we have been living with are unnecessary,
says Step Two. We can be freed from them and in time, we will learn to live without
them by working the Twelve Steps of Narcotics Anonymous. Step Two fills the void we
felt at the end of Step One. As we approach Step Two, we begin to consider that maybe,
just maybe, there is a Power greater than ourselves, a Power capable of healing our
wounds, soothing our confusion, and restoring us to sanity. When we were new to the
program, many of us were surprised by the implications of this step that our judgment
had not been sound. From recognizing our lack of power to admitting our lack of sound
judgment seemed like an awfully big leap. But after being in the program for a while, we
began to understand what this step is all about. We read the basic text and found that our
lack of judgment was defined there as "repeating the same mistakes and expecting
different results". We could certainly relate it to
that
! After all, how many times have we tried to get rid of something we couldn't get rid of
before, saying to ourselves each time, "It will be different this time." Well, that is lack of
sound judgment! When we live the principles of this step for many years, we discover
that deeply this lack of sound judgment occurs; we often find that the definition of the
basic text only scratches the surface. Some of us rejected this step because we thought it
required being religious. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is nothing,
absolutely nothing, in the N.A. program. that requires a member to be religious. The idea
that anyone can join us, regardless of religion. or lack of religion is fiercely defended by
our members. Our members strive to be included in this consideration and tolerate
nothing that compromises the unconditional right of all addicts to develop their own
individual understanding of a Power greater than themselves. This is a spiritual program,
not a religious one. The beauty of the second step is revealed when we begin to think
about what our highest Power can be. We are encouraged to choose a Power that is
loving, caring and most of all - capable of restoring us to our non-judgment. The second
step does not say: "We came to believe
at
a Power greater than ourselves". It says "We came to believe
that
The emphasis is not on what or who this Power is, but on what this Power can do for us.
The group itself s
qualifies as a power greater than ourselves. So do the spiritual principles contained in the
Twelve Steps. And, of course, so does each individual member's understanding of a
Greater Power. As long as we stay clean and continue to work on this step, we realize
that no matter how far our addiction has gone and how far our lack of judgment has
progressed, there is no limit to the ability of a Power greater than ourselves to bring us
back to sanity.
Esperanza
The hope we gain by working Step Two replaces the despair with which we came to the
program. Every time we followed something we thought would be a way out of our
addiction-medicines, religion or psychiatry, for example-we found that they drove us
away, none of them were enough for us. As we ran out of options and exhausted our
resources, we wondered if we would ever find a solution to our dilemma, if there was anything in the
world that could work. In fact, when we arrived in N.A. We might have slightly suspected that this
might be another method that didn't work, or wouldn't work well enough to make a difference for us, yet
something important happened to us when we sat down at our first meeting. There were other addicts
there who had used drugs as we had done, addicts who were now clean.We believed in them. We knew
we could trust them. They knew the places we had been during our addiction, not just the common
havens, not just the geographic locations, but the havens of horror and despair we visited each time we
used. The recovered addicts we encountered in N.A. It was there that we realized that these other
members - addicts like us - were staying clean and experiencing freedom, that most of us were
experiencing the feeling of hope for the first time. We could have stayed with a group of members after
a meeting. We could have heard someone share a story like ours. Most of us can remember that
moment-many years later-and that moment comes to all of us. Our hope is renewed through our
recovery. Whenever something new is revealed to us through our illness, the pain of that realization is
accompanied by a surge of hope. No matter how painful the process of demolishing our denial is.
Something else is repaired instead of ours. Even if we don't feel we believe in something, we believe in
the program. We believe that we can return to sanity, even in the moments of greatest despair, even in
our sickest areas.
•
What can I hope for today?
Lack of sound judgment
If we have any doubt about the need for a renewal of sanity in our lives, we are going to have trouble
with this step. Reverting our First Step will help us if we are having doubts. Now is the time to take a
good look at our lack of judgment: Did I think I could control my consumption? What were my
experiences about this, and how fruitless were my efforts? What things did I do that I can hardly believe
I did when I look back? Did I put myself in dangerous situations to get drugs? Did I behave in ways that
now embarrass me? What were those situations like, did I make poor decisions as a result of my
addiction? Did I give up jobs, friends and other relationships, or give up pursuing other goals just
because those things interfered with my use?Did I hurt myself or someone else physically because of my
addiction? Lack of judgment is a loss of our perspective and our sense of proportion. For example, we
may think that our personal problems are more important than anyone else's; in fact, we may not be able
to consider the needs of other people at all. Small problems become huge catastrophes. Some obvious
examples of our lack of judgment is the belief that we can keep ourselves clean on our own, or the belief
that our only problem was consumption and that now that
we are clean everything is fine. In N.A. lack of judgement is described as the belief that we can take
something that is
outside
of us-drugs, power, sex, food to fix what is wrong.
inside
How have I reacted more or less to things? How has my life been out of balance?
•
How does my lack of judgment tell me that things outside of me can aggravate or solve all my
problems? Consuming? Compulsively gambling, eating or looking for sex? Anything else?
•
Is part of my lack of judgment the belief that the symptom of my addiction (using drugs or some other
manifestation) is my only problem? If we have been clean for a while, we may find that a whole new
level of denials makes it difficult for me to see the lack of judgment in our lives. Just as we did at the
beginning of our recovery, we need to familiarize ourselves with the ways in which we have acted in
poor judgment. Many of us have found that our understanding of misjudgment goes beyond the basic
text definition. We commit the same faults over and over again, even though we are fully aware of what
our results will be. Perhaps we are hurting so much that we don't care what the consequences will be, or
we imagine that acting out an obsession justifies the price we pay.
•
When have we acted out an obsession, even when we knew what the results were going to be, what we
felt and thought beforehand? What kept us going?
Beginning to believe
The above discussion provided several reasons why we may have problems with this step. There may be
others. It is important for us to identify and overcome any barriers that may prevent us from coming to
believe. Do I have any fears about coming to believe? What are they? Do I have any other barriers that
make it difficult for me to believe? What does the phrase "We began to believe..." mean to me? "As
addicts we are inclined to want everything to happen immediately. But it is important to remember that
Step Two is a process, not a fact. Most of us do not wake up one day and know that a power greater than
ourselves can bring us to sanity. We gradually grow into this belief. Furthermore, we don't have to sit
back and wait for our belief to grow on its own; we can help it grow.
•
Did I ever believe in something for which I had no tangible evidence? How was that experience?
•
What experiences have I heard shared by other recovered addicts about the process of starting to
believe? I have tried some of them in my life...what do I believe in...has my belief grown since I have
been in recovery?
A power greater than ourselves
Each of us comes to recovery with a full history of life experiences. That history will largely determine
the kind of understanding we develop of a Power greater than ourselves. In this step, we do not need to
have a lot of specific ideas about the nature or identity of that Greatest Power. This kind of
understanding will come later. The kind of understanding of a higher Power that is most important to
find in the Second Step is an understanding that we can
help.
We are not concerned here with theological elegance or doctrinal adherence-we just want something
here that
serve.
How powerful should a power greater than ourselves be? The answer to this question is simple. Our
addiction as a negative power was undoubtedly greater than who we were. Our addiction led us down a
path of misjudgment and caused us to act differently from how we wanted to behave. We need
something to fight it, something that is at least as powerful as our addiction...I have trouble accepting
that there is a power or powers greater than ourselves...what are those things that are more powerful than
us...can a power stronger than us help us stay clean? Like
Can a power greater than me help me recover? Some of us may have a very clever idea about the nature
of the Power greater than ourselves, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, Step Two is
the point at which many of us begin to form our first practical idea about a Power greater than ourselves,
if we have not already done so. Many addicts have found it useful to identify that
is not
a power greater than ourselves, before we identified that
es.
In short, realizing that a Power greater than ourselves can do for us can help us begin to discover more
about that Power. There are many understandings of that Power that we can develop. We can think of it
as a power of spiritual principles, the power of N.A. membership, "well-ordered directives," or whatever
we can conceive of, so long as it is loving and caring and more powerful than we are, "well-ordered
directives," or whatever we can conceive of, as long as it is loving and caring and more powerful than
we are.In fact, you don't have to have any understanding of that Power as long as we are able to use it to
get clean and seek recovery.
•
What evidence do I have that a higher power is at work in my life?
•
What are the characteristics that my highest power does not have?
•
What are the characteristics that my highest power has?
Return to sanity
Work like this: How and why
defines the term "recovery" as "shifting to a point where addiction and its lack of sound judgment are
not controlling our lives.We found that just as our lack of judgment was evident in our lack of
perspective and sense of proportion, so we can see the sanity in our lives when we begin to develop a
perspective that allows us to make better decisions. We find that we have choices about how to act. We
begin to have the maturity and wisdom to slow down and consider all aspects of the situation before we
act. Naturally our lives will change. Most of us have no trouble identifying sanity in our lives when we
compare our use to our recent recovery, and our recent recovery to some clean time, and some clean
time to a long-standing recovery.All of this is a process, and our need for a return to sanity will change
as time goes on.When we are new to the program, returning to sanity will probably mean not having to
use anymore; when that happens, perhaps some of the lack of judgment that is directly and obviously
tied to our use will disappear. We will stop committing crimes to get drugs. If we have been in recovery
for some time, we may find that we have no problem believing in a Power greater than ourselves to help
us stay clean, but we may or may not have considered that it means a return to sanity, beyond staying
clean. As we grow in our recovery, it is very important that our idea of the meaning of sound judgment
grows as well. What do I consider examples of sound judgment? What things in my thinking and
behavior are necessary for my return to sound judgment? In what areas of my life do I now need sanity?
how is it a process to return? how will working on the next steps help me in my return to sanity? some of
us may have unrealistic expectations about returning to sanity. We may think that we will never feel
anger again or that, as soon as we start working on this step, we will behave perfectly all the time and
we will no longer have problems with obsessions, emotional turmoil, or lack of balance in our life. This
description may seem extreme, but if we feel disillusioned with our personal growth in recovery or the
amount of time it takes to "come to our senses" we may recognize some of our beliefs in this
description. Most of us have found that we gain more serenity by abandoning any expectations we might
have about how our recovery is progressing. What expectations do I have about returning to sanity? Are
they realistic or unrealistic, are my realistic aspirations for my recovery met or not? I understand that
mirecovery occurs over time is not one night?
Finding ourselves able to act with sound judgment, even once, in a situation we were never able to
handle successfully before, is evidence of having succeeded. Have I had any experiences like that in my
recovery? What are they?
Spiritual Principles
In Step Two, we will focus on open-mindedness, willingness, faith, honesty and humility. The principle
of open-mindedness that we find in the second step arises from the realization that we cannot recover
alone, that we need some kind of help. Continue to open our minds by believing that help is possible for
us. It doesn't matter if we have any idea how this Power greater than ourselves is going to help, only that
we believe it is possible, because having a closed mind hurts my recovery, how am I demonstrating
open-mindedness in my life today?
•
How has my life changed since I have been in recovery? I believe that more changes are possible?
practicing the will principle in Step Two can be simple at first. At first we will simply go to meetings
and listen to other recovering addicts share their experiences with this step. Then we can begin to apply
what we hear to our own recovery and, of course, ask our sponsor for guidance.
•
What am I willing to do to come to my senses?
•
Is there anything I want to do now that I previously did not want to do? What is it? We cannot sit back
and wait to feel faith while we work Step Two. One of the suggestions that has worked for many of us is
to "act as if" we have faith. This does not mean that we should be dishonest with ourselves. We don't
need to lie to our sponsor or anyone else about where we are with this step. We don't do this to sound
good or look good. Acting as if" simply means living as if we believe in what we hope for. In the second
Step, this would mean living as if we trust that we will be restored to sanity. There are a variety of ways
in which this can work in our individual lives. Many members suggest that we can begin to "act as if" by
going to meetings regularly and following our sponsor's directives. What action have I been taking that
demonstrates my faith? How has my faith grown? I have been able to make plans, having faith that my
addiction is not going to get in my way? Practicing the principle of trust may require overcoming a sense
of fear about the process of coming to my senses. Even if we have been clean for a short period, we have
experienced some emotional pain as we have grown in our recovery. We can fear that there will be more
pain. In a sense, we are right: There will be more pain. None of this will be more than we can bear and
none of this we will have to bear alone. If we can develop our sense of trust in a Power greater than
ourselves, we will be able to walk through the painful times of our recovery.We will know that what is
waiting on the other side will be more than a superficial joy, it will be a fundamental transformation that
will make our lives more fulfilling on a deeper level. What fears do I have that are getting in the way of
my trust, what do I need to do to let go of these fears, what action am I taking that demonstrates my trust
in the recovery process and in a Power greater than myself?What action am I taking that demonstrates
my confidence in the recovery process and in a Power greater than myself? The principle of humility
arises from our recognition that there is a Power greater than ourselves.It is a tremendous struggle for us
to stop leaning on our own thinking and start asking for help, but when we do, we begin to practice the
principle of humility that we found in StepTwo. How?
•
I have sought help from my sponsor, gone to meetings, connected with other recovering addicts? What
were the results?
Moving forward
As we get ready to enter Step Three, we will want to take a look at what we have gained from working
Step Two. Writing about our understanding of each step as we prepare to move on to the next helps us
internalize the spiritual principles connected with it. What action can I take that will help me in the
process of starting to believe?
•
What am I doing to work on overcoming my unrealistic expectations I may have about returning to
sanity?what is my understanding of Step Two?how has the work on this step affected my previous
knowledge and experiences?as we move toward Step Three, a sense of hope is possibly urging our
spirits. Even if we are not new to recovery, we have reinforced our knowledge that recovery, growth and
change are not only possible but inevitable when we make the effort to work the steps. We can see the
possibility of relief from the particular brand of misjudgment in which we have recently been trapped by
our addiction. We have probably already begun to experience some freedom. We are beginning to be
freed from the blind pursuit of our lack of judgment. We have explored our lack of judgment and have
begun to trust that a greater Power will free us from having to continue on the same path.... We are
beginning to be liberated from our illusions. We no longer have to fight to keep our addiction a secret or
isolate ourselves to hide our lack of judgment. We have seen how the program has worked for others,
and we have found that it is starting to work for us as well.... Through our newly acquired faith, we
acquire the will to move into action and work Step Three.

Step Three
"We decided to surrender our will and our lives to God's care in the way we understand
it."
We have worked Step One and Two with our sponsors - we have surrendered, and we
have demonstrated our desire to try something new. This has charged us with a strong
sense of hope. But if we don't move our hope into action directly now, it will fade, and
we will end up back where we started. The action we need to take is to work Step Three.
In Step Three, the central action is a decision. The thought of making that decision can be
terrifying, especially when we look at what we are deciding to do in this step. Making a
decision, any decision, is something we haven't done in a long time. We have let our
decisions be made by our addiction, by the authorities and simply by neglect because we
did not want the responsibility of deciding anything for ourselves. When we add to this
the concept of entrusting the care of our will and our lives to something that most of us
do not understand at this time, we may simply think that this thing is entirely beyond us
and we begin to look for a shortcut or an easier way to work our program.These thoughts
are dangerous, because when we make cuts in our program, we immediately cut off our
recovery. The Third Step decision may be too big to make in a single leap. Our fears in
the face of, and the dangerous thinking to which those fears lead, can be avoided by
cutting this step into a series of smaller, separate obstacles. Step Three is just one more
piece on the road to our recovery. Making the third Step decision does not necessarily
mean that we must suddenly and completely change everything about the way we live our
lives. Fundamental changes in our lives happen gradually as we work on our recovery,
and all of these changes require our participation. We should not fear that this step will
do something to us that we are not ready for or that we will not like. It is significant that
this step suggests that we surrender our life and our will to God's care as we understand
it. These words are particularly important. By working the third step, we are allowing
someone or something to take care of us, not to control or lead our life for us. This step
does not suggest that we become robots without mind without the capacity to live our own lives,
nor does it allow those of us who find such irresponsibility attractive to give in to such a desire. Instead,
we are making a simple decision to change direction, to stop rebelling at the logical flow of events in our
lives, to stop spending ourselves trying to make everything happen as if we were in charge of the world.
We are accepting that a Power greater than ourselves is going to do a better job than us in taking care of
our will and our lives. We are moving forward in the spiritual process of recovery by beginning to
explore what we understand the word God to mean to us as individuals. In this step each of us will have
to come to some conclusion about what we think God means. Our understanding does not have to be
complex or complete. It does not need to be like any other. We may find that we are very sure of what
God is saying.
is not
for us, but not of what God
is
and that's enough. The only essential thing is that we begin a search that allows us to grow in our
understanding as our recovery continues. Our concept of God will grow as we grow in our recovery. By
working the Third Step we will discover what works best for us.
Making a decision
As we have already discussed, many of us can get nervous about taking a large decision. We may feel
intimidated or overwhelmed. We may fear the results or the commitment involved. We may think that a
once-and-for-all action and fear not getting it right or not having the opportunity to do it again. In spite
of that, the decision to place our will and our life in God's care is something we can do over and over
again, daily if we need to. In fact, we may find that we must make this decision on a regular basis, or
risk losing all of our recovery through complacency. Although the word decision sounds like something
that takes place mostly in the mind, we need to do the work necessary to go beyond an intellectual
understanding and internalize this choice. Why making a decision is central to working this step?
•
Can I make this decision just for today? Do I have any fears or reservations about it? We need to realize
that making a decision without following through on it in action is meaningless. For example, we may
decide one morning to go somewhere and then sit down and not leave our house for the rest of the
day.By doing so we render our previous decision meaningless, no more meaningful than any idle
thoughts we might have. What action have I taken to carry out my decision?
•
What areas of my life are difficult for me to turn around?
Own will
Step Three is critical because we have acted so much according to our own will, abusing our right to
make choices and decisions. So, what exactly is self-will? Sometimes it is total withdrawal and isolation.
We end up living a very lonely and self-absorbed life. Sometimes self-will leads us to act to the
exclusion of any other consideration than what we want. We ignore the needs and feelings of others. We
point guns at and run over anyone who questions our right to do as we please. We become tornadoes,
rolling through the lives of family, friends and even strangers, totally unaware of the path of destruction
we have left behind us. If circumstances are not to our liking, we try to change them in any way
necessary to achieve our objectives. We try to follow our path at all costs. We are so busy following our
impulses aggressively that we completely lose touch with our consciousness and with a Higher Power....
To work through this step, each of us needs to identify the ways in which I have acted on my own will-
how have I acted on my own will? What were my motives?
•
How has acting on my own free will affected my life? How has my own will affected others? Declining
our own will does not mean that we cannot pursue goals or try to make changes in our lives and in the
world. It does not mean that we have to passively accept injustices to ourselves or to the people for
whom we are responsible. We need to differentiate between destructive self-will and constructive action.
•
Will achieving my goals hurt anyone? As
In pursuing what I want, am I likely to end up doing something that will adversely affect me or others?
Explain.
•
Will I have to compromise any of my principles to achieve this goal? ( i.e. Will I have to be dishonest?
Cruel? If I am new to the program and I am starting to work the Third Step, I will end up wondering
what God's will is for me, thinking that the step is asking me to discover this. Actually, we do not
formally focus our attention on seeking knowledge of the Higher Power's will for us until we reach Step
Eleven, but we begin in Step Three the process that will lead to that. God's will for us is something we
will gradually come to know as we work the steps. At this point we can come to some very simple
conclusions about God's will for us, which will serve us well for the present time. God's will is that we
remain clean. It is the will of Our Higher Power for us to do things that help us stay clean, such as going
to meetings and talking to our sponsor regularly.
•
Describe the times when my will has not been sufficient. (e.g.: I could not keep myself clean of my own
free will).
•
What is the difference between my will and God's will? At some point in our recovery, we may find that
we have somehow jumped from trying to align our will with that of a higher Power to moving by our
own will. This happens so slowly and surreptitiously that we can hardly notice it. It would seem as if we
are especially vulnerable to self-will when things are going well. We cross the fine line that divides
honest and humble goal achievement from surreptitious manipulation and forced results. We find
ourselves going a little too far in an argument to convince someone that we are right. We find ourselves
holding on to something a little too long, suddenly realizing that we haven't been in touch with our
sponsor for a while.We feel a dull, almost subconscious discomfort that will alert us to this surreptitious
leap away from our recovery-if we listen.There have been times in my recovery when I have found
myself surreptitiously taking back my own will and my life? What alerted me? What have I done to
recommit to the Third Step?
God according to our understanding
Before we dive deeply into the process of surrendering our will and our lives to the care of the God of
our understanding, we should work on letting go of any negative beliefs or unproductive preconceptions
we may have about the word God.Does the word God, or even the concept itself, make me
uncomfortable? What is the source of my discomfort? Have I ever believed that God made horrible
things happen to me or was punishing me? Our basic text suggests that we choose a conception of our
Higher Power in which it is greater than ourselves, is loving and cares for us. These simple guidelines
can include as many understandings of God as there are N.A. members. beech. They do not exclude
anyone. If we understand the word "God" to mean the Power of the program, these guidelines fit. If we
understand the word "God" to mean the spiritual principles of the program, these guidelines fit. If we
understand the word "God" to mean a personal Power or being with whom we can communicate, these
lines fit. It is essential that we begin to explore and develop our understanding. Our sponsor can help
immeasurably in this process.
•
What, today, is my understanding of a power greater than myself? How is my Higher Power working in
my life? As important as it is to imagine what the Higher Power is for us, it is more important that we
develop a relationship with whatever we understand our Higher Power to be. We can do this in several
ways. First, we need to somehow communicate with our higher power. Some of us call this prayer, and
others call it something else. This communication does not have to be formal or even verbal.
Second, we need to be open to communication from our Higher power. This can be by paying attention
to how we feel, our reactions, and what is happening in and around us. Or we can have a personal
routine that helps us connect with a power greater than ourselves. It may be that our Power may help us
to see the right thing to do through our fellow N.A.'s. Third, we have to allow ourselves to have feelings
about the God of our understanding. We can get angry. We can feel love. We may feel fear. We can be
grateful. It is okay to share the entire range of human emotions with our higher power. This allows us to
feel closer to the Power on which we rest and helps us to develop confidence in that Power. How do I
communicate with my Higher Power?
•
How does my Higher Power communicate with me? What feelings do I have about my Higher Power?
What feelings do I have about my Higher Power? When many of us stay clean for some time, we work
on developing a sense of God for ourselves. Our growing understanding reflects our experiences. We
mature in the understanding of God that gives us peace and serenity. We trust in our Higher Power and
are optimistic about life. We begin to feel that our lives are touched by something beyond our
comprehension, and we are glad and grateful that this is so. Then something happens that challenges
everything we believe about our Higher Power or makes us doubt the existence of that Power as well. It
can be a death, an injustice or a loss. Whatever it is, it leaves us feeling like we've been kicked in the
stomach. We cannot understand it. It is at times like these that we need our Higher Power the most, even
though we may find ourselves instinctively withdrawing. Our understanding of a Higher Power is about
to undergo a dramatic change. We need to stay attached to our Higher Power, asking for acceptance if
not understanding. We need to ask for strength to continue. Eventually we will re-establish our
relationship with our higher Power, although probably in a different tone. Am I struggling with changing
beliefs about the nature of my Higher Power? Describe. Is my normal concept of a Higher Power still
useful? How should it be to change? As our conception grows and evolves, we will find that we react
differently to what happens in our lives. We may find ourselves able to courageously face situations that
usually aroused fear in our hearts. We can handle frustrations more gracefully. We may find ourselves
able to pause and think about a situation before acting. We will probably be calmer, less compulsive,
and more able to see beyond the immediacy of the moment.
Transferring
The order in which we prepare to surrender our lives and our will to the care of God demonstrates
understanding is significant. Many of us have found that we normally follow the order in step: First we
turn our will; then we gradually turn our lives around. It seems to be easier for us to grasp the
destructive nature of our self-will and see that it must be subdued; consequently, it is usually the first to
go. Harder for us to grasp is the need to surrender our lives and the process of that surrender. In order for
us to feel comfortable allowing our Higher Power to take care of our lives, we are going to have to
develop some trust. We may have no problem giving up our addiction, but want to maintain control of
the rest of our lives. We may want the Higher Power to take care of our work life, but not our
relationships. We can entrust our Higher Power with the care of our partner, but not with our children.
We can trust our higher power with our security, but not with our finances. Many of us have problems
with giving up completely. We think we entrust certain areas of our mind to our power, but we
immediately take back control the first time we get scared or things don't go the way we think they
should. We need to examine our progress in transferring. What does "in the care of" mean to me?"
•
What does it mean for me to transfer my will and my life into the care of the God of my understanding?
•
How could my life change if I were to make the decision to transfer it to God's care?14

Twelve-step work guide

•
How do I allow my Higher Power to work in my life?
•
How does my Higher Power take care of my will and my life?
•
Have there been times when I have been unable to let go of the reins and trust that God was going to
take care of the outcome of a particular situation? Describe.
•
Have there been times when
I have been
able to let go of the reins and trust God with the outcome? Describe. To transfer our lives and our will to
the care of our Higher Power, we must take some kind of action. Many of us find that it is better for us
to make some formal statement on a normal basis. We may want to use the following quote from our
basic text: "Take my life and my will. Guide me in my recovery. Show me how to live." This seems to
capture the essence of Step Three for many of us Despite this, we may feel free to find our own words,
or find a more informal way to take action. Many of us believe that every day we abstain from using, or
take suggestions from our sponsor, we are taking practical action on our decision to transfer our will and
life into the care of our Higher Power. How do I take action to transfer? Are there any words that you
usually say? What are they?
Spiritual principles
In considering the spiritual principles intrinsic to Step Three, we will first focus on surrender and
voluntariness. Then we will see how hope is transformed into faith and confidence. Finally we will see
how the principle of commitment flows into Step Three.Practicing the principle of surrender is easy for
us when everything is going as we would like it to be.Actually when things go smoothly, we are more
likely to be cradled in a belief that we are in charge, which does not require too much "surrender."
Keeping the principle of surrender to the care of the God of our understanding alive in our spirits is
essential, even when things are going well.
•
What am I doing to reinforce my decision to allow my Higher Power to take care of my will and my
life?
•
What does Step Three allow me to build on the surrender I have developed in Steps One and Two? We
generally feel more willingness immediately after a surrender. Voluntariness often comes in the wake of
despair or a struggle for control. We can practice the principle of voluntariness before it becomes
necessary and possibly save us some pain.
•
In what ways have I demonstrated voluntariness in my recovery so far?
•
Am I fighting anything in my recovery? What I think would happen if I had the will to let my recovery
prevail in that area of my life? There is a spiritual progression from hope to faith to trust in the third
step. As we began Step Three, we carried with us the sense of hope that was born in us as we worked
Step Two. Hope springs from the knowledge that our life is full of possibilities - there are no hard
certainties yet, only the first whispers of anticipation that we just might be able to realize our heart's
deepest desires. Letting doubts fade as hope becomes Faith.Faith propels us forward in action, we
actually do the work that those in whom we have faith tell us is necessary for us to do to get what we
want. In Step Three, faith gives the ability to actually make a decision and take that decision into action.
Trust comes into play after faith has been applied. We have probably made significant progress toward
achieving our goals; we now have evidence that we can influence the course of our lives by taking
positive actions.
•
How have hope, faith and trust become positive forces in my life?
•
What next action do I need to take to apply the principles of hope, faith and trust in my recovery? The
principle of commitment is the culmination of the Step Three spiritual process. This step is about
making the decision to "transfer", over and over again, even when our decision does not seem to be
having any positive effect. We can practice the spiritual principle of commitment by reaffirming our
decision on a regular basis and continue to carry out the action that gives our decision substance and
meaning - for example by working the rest of the steps.15
Twelve-step work guide
•
What have I done recently that demonstrates my commitment to recovering and working
a program? (E.g. Have I taken a position of service in N.A.? I have agreed to become a
sponsor for another recovering addict? Have I continued to go to meetings no matter how
I felt about them? Have I continued to work with my sponsor even after they told me a
truth I didn't like or gave me a direction I didn't want to follow? Did I follow that
directive?)
Moving forward
As we get ready to move on to Step Four, we will want to take a look at what we have
gained by working Step Three. Writing about our understanding of each step as we
prepare to paraseguir helps us internalize the spiritual principles connected with it.
•
Do I have any reservations about my decision to transfer my will and my life into God's
care? Do I feel that I am now ready to transfer? How did my surrender of Step One help
me in Step Three?
•
What action do I plan to take to move forward with my decision? How does working the
remaining steps reconcile with this? We finish off our work on Step Three with an
increase in our level of freedom. If we have completed this step, we are deeply relieved to
realize that the world will go on just fine without our intervention. The responsibility of
carrying everything forward is too great a burden, and we are happy to decline it. We can
be comforted by the fact that a loving God is watching over our will and our life, letting
us know in a faint way that the path we are on is the right one. We have seen our old
ideas for what they were, and we are willing to let go of them and allow change to occur
in our lives. Moreover, we may find that we are willing to take some risks, which we
never had the courage to do before. Some people pause before making major decisions
and cling to their own spirituality. We look to the source of our strength, invite our
Higher Power to work in our lives, and move forward once we are sure we are on the
right path. Now we need to take another step on the road to recovery, a step that makes
the Step Three decision real.It is time for us to take a moral inventory of ourselves by
fearlessly looking for